Lost in Wonderland
by Sapphyre Lily
Summary: Fantasy AU. Wonderland is a spreading plague on the remaining inhabitants on Earth, and Momoi Satsuki is the last of the GoM to remain untouched. But Wonderland always claims its own in the end, and there is nowhere to hide... Can Momoi escape before Wonderland eats her alive, or will she succumb to its siren call like everyone before her has?
1. Prologue

**Author's note: I really have to stop writing new fanfics when I have a few uncompleted ones. Stupid brain. Anyway, here's a prologue for the new series! No pairings yet, you can ignore whatever is implied in this chapter. Italics are for the poem, and yes it does link up to a full poem. It doesn't have much relation to the story... Yet.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke, or the cover art. Sadly, I cannot use the full art, because it is too long. I found it on Tumblr, so PM me if you want the link to the full photo!**

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

"_Are you lost in Wonderland?_

_Are you lost," they say._

_The flowers maliciously grin at you,_

_Petals in blackened disarray._

Momoi Satsuki blinked blearily at her surroundings, the riot of colour searing her eyes. On her left, a soft whimpering was heard, and muffled shrieks could be heard from the bed's occupant every now and then. On her right, quiet giggles exploded into maniacal laughter, only to simmer down and begin all over again. She sighed wearily, tugging at her bindings to call the nurse for help.

Soft chirping was heard as the red 'Call' button was pressed, and Momoi frowned at the button. It hadn't been making that sound yesterday, she thought to herself. A few moments later, a nurse decked out in royal blue appeared at her bedside, smiling down at her. Momoi barely glanced at her before looking away, the rich colour bringing back nostalgic memories. Her childhood friend, as well as best friend-turned-lover, once had locks of that same shade. A gentle hand touched her bound wrists, and she forced the memories away before she could start crying – or worse, that her memory become infected.

Momoi turned her eyes upwards and stared at Nurse Halley, her youthful face lined with stress and worry despite her calm façade. "Momoi-san. You called for assistance?"

"Yes. I would like to go to the bathroom please." She kept her eyes on the nurse as she worked to untie her restraints, focusing on the bare skin so that the blue could not spark her into remembering.

"Would you like a shower? Or is it just to relieve yourself?"

"Just to relieve myself. I cannot bear to take a shower alone." Momoi took Nurse Halley's proffered hand, shakily getting to her feet. Lying on a bed almost all the time made her body numb and stiff, but she had little choice in the matter. She wanted to live. And this was the only way to do so.

"_Are you lost in Wonderland?_

_Are you lost," they hiss._

_The animals bare their fangs at you,_

_Dreaming of a feast._

Momoi stepped out of the bathroom, and allowed Nurse Halley to lead her back to her bed. She decided to ask the question that had been bothering her ever since a while ago, regardless of the consequences. "Halley-san. I was wondering when management changed the ringtone of the 'Call' button. It sounds like birds chirping, and is so refreshing."

The nurse shot her a worried look, creases appearing on her brow. "We did no such thing, Momoi-san."

It took a few seconds, but the revelation hit Momoi like a truck, and she grasped Nurse Halley's hand tightly, her breath coming in short breaths. "Please take me to see the doctor now. Please!"

The nurse pressed her lips together, nodding as she led the pinkette towards the offices of the psychiatric ward. The Wonderland dreamers had to be separated from the normal patients, for no one knew how the infection spread, but when someone caught it, they could never recover from it.

Only one person had ever returned from the madness.

Her name was Alice, and she was the first to discover Wonderland. She had gone there and returned alive. But from that day forth, people around her began to succumb to the fantasy that was Wonderland.

Nobody knew how, or why. Those that had fallen into the last stages of the 'Wonderland Madness' would suddenly disappear one day, never to return. Their bodies were nowhere to be found, and reports told of the patient never even leaving their beds. They were simply gone, as if they had vanished into thin air.

Alice tried to help with the infection, speaking to patients where she could, and tried to come up with a solution to cure them. 'Wonderland wards' were set up, and contrary to a normal psychiatric ward, the walls were splashed with rainbow shades. Nurses and doctors traded their plain white scrubs and coats for riots of colour. The patients had free will as to whether they wanted counselling, or if they wanted to be restrained.

Alice's theory was that Wonderland was so much more vibrant than their world, and in order to keep patients in this realm, they had to outdo Wonderland.

It was a futile effort.

Patients managed to stay in the earthly realm for a while longer with these new changes, but it was only a matter of time before Wonderland claimed its own. And the people agreed with Alice's option, only because it kept them a little farther from the madness, a little more secluded from what was rumoured to be the best illness one could hope for. It was said that the fantasies of the other realm was every artist's muse, the melodies every musician's inspiration, its tragedies every poet's genius.

Loved ones where discouraged from visiting, for fear of the madness spreading to them as well. The medical staff were at great risk, but so far, none had succumbed to being a patient themselves.

It was painful, watching the world die.

The world's population began decreasing rapidly, for young teenagers were the ones most rapidly snatched up by Wonderland's dreams, and no one could reproduce fast enough to replace them. Whole countries sank to their knees, and many had to force alliances just to keep the world population alive.

Children were warned early on in life to be careful, so much so that the most rational child would check themselves into a Wonderland ward to extend their lives. Momoi Satsuki was one of these children.

She had grown up with a rational head, for no one could keep an eye on Aomine Daiki without being sensible. She knew that if they wanted to survive Wonderland's thralls, they had to turn themselves in at the first signs of sickness. They had thought themselves safe from the psychosis, thought themselves prepared for the worst to come. But how wrong they were.

It was in their last year at Teikou that the first of them fell.

Akashi Seijuuro - captain of the basketball team, chairman of the student council, extraordinary shogi player and son of an influential businessman. Everyone thought that he was the strongest of them all, the one least likely to succumb to the siren call of Wonderland. Yet Fate had other ideas in store.

They were in the middle of a practice match with Momoi as the referee when Akashi suddenly straightened and dived towards Kuroko, pushing him to the ground and covering him with his body. The redhead looked around suspiciously before pulling him up and dragging him behind Murasakibara. Momoi could not hear them, but Akashi seemed to be telling Kuroko something very seriously, holding his hand and even getting down on his knees. His expression changed rapidly, from plaintive to desperate, the tone of his voice deepening to a horse whisper. Everyone, the Generation of Miracles especially, were bewildered by this sudden change of events. While they watched on in shock, Kuroko nodded, placing one hand on Akashi's shoulder. Akashi broke out in a relieved smile, and just like that, he was gone. No flash of light. No colourful sparks. Heck, not even a speck of fairy dust.

Kuroko described it much the same way. One moment he could feel the warmth of Akashi's hand in his, the next he was holding on to thin air. It was confounding not only because it was Akashi Seijuurou who was taken, but also because there was no forewarning. He had not been seeing or hearing things, and everything was as normal as could be. Yet he had abruptly disappeared, even when supposedly sane. Was it possible that the madness was evolving into something deadlier? Everyone was dumbfounded, but one thing was on all of their minds: Who would be next?

Their answer came much too soon, and in an even more dramatic fashion.

At their next practice match against a lesser school, they were worried, but still uncaring about their opponent. Who would lead them if Akashi was not present? Would they still be victorious?

Much to everyone's relief, the match went exactly as planned, with Kuroko taking Akashi's place as the fifth starter. It was only at the end of the game that the unthinkable happened.

Midorima was lining up his three-pointer, the ball that would be the buzzer beater of the fourth quarter. But there was no sound of the ball flying through the air, no swish of the net. Instead, a slow thumping met their ears, and a lone ball stood bouncing in the middle of the court, the green-haired sharpshooter gone.

After that, the disappearances began to increase in speed.

Murasakibara was about to pay for a box of ice cream, and the cashier had turned to the cash register for just a moment. By the time she had turned back one second later, the purple-haired giant was gone, and the customers behind him stood slack-jawed in horror.

Kise struck a sultry pose for the camera, and just as the flash cleared away, nothing was left of him.

Kuroko was walking home from Maji Burger, vanilla milkshake in hand. The cup dropped to the ground, spilling the sweet drink. Nobody saw him disappear, and the spilled milkshake was all that remained.

Aomine was out with Momoi, having confessed his feelings for her. They were in Momoi's kitchen, him trying to teach her how to cook. They were laughing over another failed attempt when Momoi realised that she could only hear her own voice. She spun around, but there was no trace of Aomine.

She had freaked out and called her parents immediately. Explaining her situation, she bid them a teary goodbye as she stepped into the Wonderland ward, the weight of her friends' dematerialization heavy upon her heart.

The nurses and doctors were baffled, and did not know what to do with her. On one hand, she seemed like a perfectly sane, normal girl. On the other, she personally knew _six_ people who had succumbed to Wonderland with no signs or symptoms. It was a distressing case, but they opted for her to stay, and tied her down according to her wishes.

Now all they had to do was wait.

"_Are you lost in Wonderland?_

_But, oh, you will be soon."_

_Time is ticking, the clock is waiting,_

"_Alice will come at noon."_

Momoi saw not the smooth tiles below her feet, even as she stumbled along with Nurse Halley. A vortex of black and white had unexpectedly swirled up before her, and before she could even cry out, it had pulled her into its gaping maw, yanking her from the world she knew.

Nurse Halley barely registered the faint pressure that Momoi's hands impressed on her before the space next to her was empty. She whipped her head to the side, eyes widening when she registered Momoi's departure. A hand over her pounding heart, she ran towards the doctor's office.

She should have known when the girl mentioned the chirping button.

_Wonderland will have your soul,_

_Your body and your mind._

_Wonderland is peace untold,_

_Coloured for the blind._

_Wonderland is all things great,_

_And all things broken and bad._

_Wonderland is a heavenly realm,_

_But also where things go MAD._


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's note: So I was supposed to be studying but then I didn't have enough time and ended up writing instead. That's so hypocritical. Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! There's going to be a LOT of questions after this, I'm sure. Leave a review if you are too anxious about it ;) Oh, and I increased the rating, because I needed to include a bit of foul language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke or any of its characters. I only own the horrible things I make them go through.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Soft voices seemed to be echoing all around her. There was one voice in particular, quietly muttering to itself. "Is it she? But it has to be. They said that Alice was coming at noon, aye, they said she was. But this is no Alice. No, no red roses, no. This isn't no Alice. Alice is blond, they say. Alice is _always_ blond. No, no. There must be a mistake, yes, mistake it must be. Yes, yes."

The girl stirred, opening her eyes just a fraction. The world came into blurry focus all about her - a dark ceiling, walls dotted with Roman numerals and broken clock hands. The surface she was lying on was cold and unyielding, and she curled up on her side, hands pressed to her face.

The muttering voice stopped abruptly, and muffled thumps were heard as something came closer to her. "Awake? The Alice is awake, it is. But is it an Alice? Alices are supposed to be blond, yes they are. But it _looks_ like an Alice. Red is never wrong, no, no he isn't. Red can never be wrong." The voice stopped, having convinced itself, and a moment later, a soft clinking was heard.

_Clunk._

"Owww." The girl moaned, clutching her head in one hand as she glared in the general direction of whatever had hit her. "What'd you do that for?"

"Hmm, hmm, yes, seems like an Alice indeed. Come along, Alice, wake up. Places to be, places to be!"

Groaning, the girl pushed herself upright with a Herculean effort, blinking rapidly to clear her vision. The voice huffed impatiently. "Hurry up, Alice!"

"My name isn't Alice." The girl said, then frowned in confusion. "I can't seem to remember my name though."

"That's 'cause you're an Alice now." The voice said proudly. "A new life, no memories! Thank Red for that."

The girl finally pin-pointed the source of the voice. It appeared to be coming from the small white rabbit in front of her. On closer inspection though, she realised it _wasn't _a rabbit at all. It was a small boy with cerulean hair and eyes. He was donning a red waistcoat, and held an oversized pocket watch in his hand. A large monocle was placed over his left eye, giving him a queer look, but the most astounding thing about him was the pair of long white ears sprouting out from the top of his head.

"Y-you- You're a rabbit!" She stuttered disbelievingly. The white rabbit-boy rolled his eyes, lifted up the pocket watch, and knocked her squarely on the head.

"Ow! You didn't have to do that!"

"Alice is not believing what she sees." He said simply. "In Wonderland, what one sees, one believes. Come on, come on. Places to be!" He grabbed her hand and pulled, white feet straining against the polished floor.

Hold on. _White feet?_

Startled, she grabbed the hand pulling at her, yanking the rabbit-boy onto her lap. Lifting him up to her eye level, she started scrutinizing him from head to toe, taking in all of his weird – no, _unique_ – features. Aside from what she had noticed at the first glance, the only new thing that caught her eye were his rabbit hindquarters and small puffball tail. It was like looking at a centaur, except with a rabbit bottom instead of a horse's. She gawked openly at him, her emotions in a flurry. _So… Cute!_

Huffing in exasperation, the rabbit-boy folded his arms, a pout appearing on his youthful face. It was, to say the least, extremely adorable. The girl nearly swooned at the picture of innocence in her hands. "Is Alice satisfied? Places to be, places to be!"

The girl sighed, lowering him back into her lap unwillingly. "No. I want answers." Seeing her morose expression, the rabbit-boy patted her hand comfortingly.

"S'alright Alice. It'll be alright. You get used to it soon."

She smiled sadly. "You sound a lot like someone I think I knew. But I can't remember them anymore."

"Better without than with, Alice." The rabbit-boy nodded sagely. "Confusing, Wonderland is. Better without than with."

"Do I have to be an Alice? I don't like that name." The girl wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"An Alice you must be, so Red said. Everyone needs a place. And we need an Alice."

"Why'd you need an Alice?"

The rabbit-boy was going to reply, when a faint ringing could be heard from the far end of the corridor. His ears perked up, and the look on his face could only be described as horror.

"Go! Go we must! Late, Alice, late!" Hopping off her lap with a mighty kick of his back legs, the rabbit-boy began bounding away, down the dark corridor.

"H-hey! Wait for me!" 'Alice' stumbled as she tried to get to her feet, her thigh smarting where she had been kicked. "Please!"

She dashed down the darkening corridor and rounded the corner, slowly coming to a halt as she found herself in a dimly lit room. Small sparkles reflected off the walls, and as she approached them, she realised that they were jewels encrusted on various dresses. Looking upwards and turning in a circle, she could not help but give out a gasp of wonder. The ceiling seemed endless, and no matter where she looked, there were only dresses filling her vision.

Lengths of satin, velvet and lace. Sleeves of every shade imaginable. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, topazes, amethysts - every gem imaginable encrusting the necklines and hems of each and every garment. It was the dream that every girl wished for, to have such beautiful clothes to try on.

Alice – she supposed it was her name now, even if she wanted to deny it – walked towards the closest rack of dresses, stooping down to yet her eyes trace over the needlework. The seams were so fine, it was as if there were none at all. The silk of the dress seemed to flutter with a life of its own, daring her to touch it. And she almost did.

Just as she raised a hand to stroke the material, a different sort of gleam caught her eye. It was dull and tarnished, and the light it reflected was weak. Curiosity took over her rational thinking, and she approached it, peering at it intensely.

It seemed to be a bell of some sort. The kind that was found at reception counters when you walked into stores and required assistance. Alice wondered why it looked so rusty. It was so sad-looking, she just had to give it a ring, if only to put it out of its misery.

_Ding._

The bell sang a clear peal, all the way up to the unending rafters. Immediately, soft clacking and screeches were heard from high above her, as if somebody was scraping the hangers on a rack in their hurry to move past. Whispers began to fill the air around her, and it was as if the dresses themselves were speaking.

"_She touched it!" _

"_She rang the bell!" _

"_Oh, foolish girl!" _

"_We're doomed, we're doomed! Oh, someone, save us!" _

"_Help us, please!"_

Alice shuffled backwards nervously while spinning about. The dresses _had_ come alive, their sleeves and hems rustling, their bejewelled necklines blinking nervously. _What sort of crazy world is this? Nothing makes sense!_

_But nothing _ever_ makes sense, my pretty. _A low, drawling voice whispered in her ear.

"Who is that? Who's there?"

A soft snort reverberated in her mind, and she realised that the voice was actually _inside_ her head. "Get out of my head, you creep. No one has permission to tramp through my brain like that."

_Oh, is that so? Might want to pay me a visit then. Or Red'll get his paws on you, and then the word 'permission' might just… Cease to exist._ A humourless laugh punctuated the end of the sentence, and remained echoing inside her head as she clenched her teeth in anger.

"As if I'd ever want your help, creep." There was no reply, for which she was both grateful and cross.

"Hmm, what was that, dear? I believe you called?" A pompous voice rang out above her, and Alice just barely stifled her shriek. She barely registered the fact that the dresses had fallen silent as well, for all their attention was now directed towards that _thing_ that had addressed her.

There was a giant spider hanging above her head, its eight legs grasping the silken thread as it hung upside-down. Judging by the look of the red hourglass on her enlarged behind, she was a Black Widow. The spider lowered herself by a shining thread of web, flipping over and landing gracefully once she was close enough to the floor. As the widow walked towards her, the light shone over her whole body in cracked slivers.

Alice was startled again to see the upper torso of a teenage girl joined to the body of the spider. The girl did not seem much older than her – how old was she, anyway? – with light brown hair that was cut like a boy's. What she found most peculiar though, was that she was wearing a white sailor top. And with every step she took closer, Alice could see a hint of irritation in her brown eyes.

"Honey, I don't have millennia to wait on you, you know. You did call me, right?" The spider-girl folded her arms across her chest – which, Alice noticed, were only B-cups. _How do I know that, yet not know my own name?!_

"U-um. I pressed the bell?" She tried. She had honestly no idea what the bell was for.

"Yes, honey, I know you pressed the bell. And woke up every bitch shuttered in this place." The spider-girl glared at the dresses around them, and Alice was immensely glad she was not on the receiving end of that.

"The dresses… Are _who_?" A faint idea had begun to sprout in Alice's mind, but she didn't dare to give voice to it.

"Why, how could you not know? The living spirits of each and every failed Alice, trapped in the gauzy prison of their own making." Spider-girl sneered at the thought. "Each of them think themselves so high and mighty and _special_. Thinking that that gives them allowance to sneak into my workspace and _steal my clothes._ Pompous little brats, every one of them. They got what was coming to them."

"Which was what?"

Spider-girl shot her a withering look, and Alice cringed. "They got turned into the dresses they desired so badly. Ever heard of the saying, 'If you can't beat them, join them?'" She laughed, a short bark filled with spite. She stopped abruptly, as if something had suddenly occurred to her. Scuttling towards Alice, she grabbed her chin, turning her face left and right to scrutinise her face.

"The right features, the right height… But she's not blond. And her chest is too large." Spider-girl muttered, and Alice slapped her hand away, glaring at her forcefully.

"What is it with everyone and the fact that I'm not blond? And what has my chest size got to do with it?" Alice spit out.

"A moment, honey. Who's 'everyone', hmm?"

"Actually, it's just the white rabbit. He came to get me, and spent ages muttering about how I wasn't blond but how red was always right." Alice sighed. "What is my hair colour, anyway?"

"Red with a capital 'R', honey. Don't want him catching you disrespecting his name, now." She noticed that spider-girl was pointedly ignoring her question about her hair colour.

"Fine. _Red_." Alice emphasised it heavily, and spider-girl nodded, appeased.

"Now, what's this about the White Rabbit calling you Alice, hmm?"

"No idea. He looks awfully like someone I know, no wait - knew. Urgh, I can't remember!"

"Better not to remember, honey. Wonderland bites those who do." She grabbed Alice by the arm, her feet tapping on the checked tile as she dragged the girl towards a small door. _Huh. The white rabbit said that too. Something similar, anyway._

"Now come! If you are to be an Alice, we need to get you out of that heinous outfit! And since you are the first ever Alice to ring the bell, you get a choice of material and gems! I'll even provide extra for that _ample_ bosom of yours."

"I- Wha- Wait, I'm the first to ring the bell?"

"How'd you think that thing is so rusty, hon? Things don't get that worn if we use it often." Lifting Alice easily onto a raised stage, spider-girl whipped out a length of tape and began measuring her from head to toe, without sparing her a second thought. Alice blushed as her chest was measured, while spider-girl shot her a nasty look for it.

"F-cup. Should have known. Need you a corset, hon? Or hmm, better not, all the monsters will be after you before our dear butterfly can save you." Spider-girl skimmed over her body with intense eyes, as if appraising her worth.

"I say cotton, or something easy to move in. Wouldn't want our first polite Alice to die by way of heavy petticoats, now can we? What say you, Alice?"

"U-um. Do you have a blend? Something light and easy to wear but fashionable as well? What do you recommend?"

"What do I recommend? What do I recommend!" Spider-girl twirled about in circles gleefully, raucous laughter ringing. She turned back to Alice and grasped her hands tightly, a maniacal gleam in her eye.

"No one asks that. Ever. You are too good to be true, my Alice!" The manifestation of her joy was scary, yet Alice found herself hesitantly grinning along. Spider-girl looked even more delighted, if it were possible, and proclaimed loudly, "For you, spidersilk! The most beautiful of materials, yet light and sturdy! Ah yes, I can see it now!" She scampered off into the darkness, calling out, "I'll be just a moment!"

A door slammed, and Alice stood there for a moment longer, still in a state of disbelief. With a quiet sigh, she sank down onto the stage to wait, brooding on this quirky turn of events. _What one sees, one believes. I guess I'd better get used to that._


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's note: HALLELUJAH I finally finished editing this. Been such a long time since I updated this and urgh writing the base outline of this on my phone was no fun at all. But yay it's finally up so, MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Alice waited in the dark for a good long time - or at least, it felt that way to her. The dresses had started up their quiet whispering again, and it seemed as if they were conspiring against her.

_"The first to ring the bell."_ A snotty voice said.

_"Spidersilk of the highest quality."_ Another simpered.

_"Any and every gem you could possibly want."_ Yet another snarled.

_"What's so special about HER?" _The collective scream almost shattered her eardrums, and Alice quickly clapped her hands over her ears, hoping to block out any more threats or jealous remarks. It didn't work. The voices only got consecutively louder with each passing second, piercing words blending into a beehive of noise.

_"Useless, pretty dunderhead-" _

_"Hideous, lumpy potato-"_

_"Rotten, spoiled pumpkin-"_

_"Heinous worm-"_

Alice balled her hands into fists, trying not to let the words get to her. She spun around, trying to seek an alcove for refuge. In the corner of her eye, a sliver of warm light cut across the floor. She ran towards it heedlessly, unknowing that that was the direction that the spider-girl had headed in earlier.

Collapsing against the door, she tumbled into an ungraceful heap when it unexpectedly flew open. Clicking sounds approached her, and she lifted her head only to come eye to eye with a pair of shiny scissors.

"Oh. 'Tis only you, Alice. And here I thought one of the dresses escaped yet again." A disgruntled voice grumbled, withdrawing the sharp tool.

"Thank you for not impaling me," the girl groused, rising to her feet. "The dresses have escaped before?"

"Don't take that tone with me, Missy. And yes, they have. The power of jealousy and spite. A wonder why Red keeps them here, when they could be better used to guard other parts of Wonderland." Spider-girl returned to her workbench, from which a gentle fluorescence was emanating from.

Alice wanted to know more - why would Wonderland need guarding? But her curiosity was sparked by the gentle glow nestled amidst the flickering lights of the candles. "What is that?"

"Hmm?" Spider-girl's hands flew over her work, mashing something up with a mortar and pestle. The glow seemed to be coming from within the bowl, and squelching sounds were emitted every time the pestle was brought down. It should have looked like something out of an occult movie, yet Alice thought it looked more like an artist playing with her pallet. _Hold on, what is a movie?_

Before any jumbled thoughts could disorientate her mind further, spider-girl scraped the glowing mash into a clear cup with a tiny edge that looked like it was to be used for pouring. That cup… It was a... Beaker?

A clear fluid was also added into a beaker from a canister of blue glass, and it floated on top of the glowing mush, sparkling with reflected candlelight. Spider-girl seemed to notice that Alice was still present, and beckoned her over. Approaching carefully, she was taken aback when the beaker and a clear rod were thrust into her hands.

"If you are to stand and watch, Alice, you can help with the preparations. Mix that until it is even, and make sure there are no lumps. You may use the table."

Spider-girl turned away, and Alice supposed she did not have any choice but to follow instructions. Who knew what would become of her if she disobeyed? Placing the items on the table gently, she stuck the rod into the mixture and attempted to mix it. Despite the amount of effort she put into trying to disturb the separate layers, the glowing mush was surprisingly viscous, and refused to be dissolved.

"Harder, Alice, harder! Put more strength into it! Those scrawny arms could use a bit of work." Spider-girl scolded.

Puffing a little with exertion, Alice stirred a little more viciously, the rod clinking against the beaker as she did so. The mush slowly began to extract itself from the base of the beaker, drifting into the spinning solution as small balls. "What's in this?"

"Glow worms and spring leaves and the freshest morning dew," came the mumbled reply. Alice glanced over and saw her talking around a mouthful of pins. "You have to stir better than that, Alice. Glow worms are finicky ingredients, but they do last long as dye."

"Dye?"

"Why of course! You'd didn't think that I'd send you out in plain spidersilk now, did you? For shame!" Shaking her head, spider-girl turned back to the gauzy material in her hands, needle flashing in and out at inhumane speeds.

Realising she had been dismissed, Alice returned to the arduous task of mixing. To her delight, the clumps of glow-worm-leaf-mash were beginning to disappear, tendrils of green spiralling outward and melding with the clear dew. Excited by this new change, she gripped the rod and stirred with renewed vigour, and was rewarded with the sight of the mixture gradually turning more opaque. Clear turned to transparent green, changed to glowing yellow, and finally, when the clumps were at last dissolved, the solution was a slightly runny, fresh green. It was lovely, and she couldn't help herself gawping at it.

A snort of amusement came from beside her, and Alice suddenly remembered that she was not alone. Lifting her eyes from the beaker, she saw spider-girl smirking at her, but it was one of understanding. "Aye, creating something is special, ain't it?" The beaker was lifted away from her, and Alice felt a sense of loss, though she knew not why.

"The feeling when you have successfully completed a task, and created something beautiful from it. Creating is so much more difficult than destroying, you know that, Alice?" Spider-girl picked up a loose strand of spidersilk attached to the dress, and dipped it into the beaker. The green fluid travelled up the thread, and almost seemed to diffuse into the fabric, creeping and overtaking the white. "Each part of the process is painstakingly slow, but if you miss out even one segment, your endproduct would be completely ruined. Here, take this." A long, thin vial - a test tube? - was thrust into her hands, filled with a silvery sort of fluid.

"Put the tongs around the rim and heat the base, moving it in and out of the flame. Come, like this." The wooden tongs were fitted just below the mouth of the test tube, and spider-girl guided her hand to dip the rounded base of the vial in and out of the candle flame. "Keep at that until it begins to bubble, then call me."

Snipping sounds and rustling fabric would be heard just off to her left, and Alice wanted to peek at what her companion - could she be called that? - was doing, but the way the silver fluid was changing colours had her transfixed. It seemed a lavender hue one moment, a light cerulean the next. The metallic liquid seemed to be rotating through the colours of the rainbow, before it glowed an ethereal white and small bubbles began to appear.

"Uhm... It's boiling."

The moment the words were out of her mouth, the test tube was taken from her. Alice could only watch as spider-girl picked up a large red quill, dipped it into the silver liquid and began to draw on the now-dyed-green dress. Tendrils of thin silver spiralled out from the nib, but they did not sink into the dress as the green dye did. Instead, they solidified on the cloth, their swirling patterns giving the illusion that it was armour. Once one side was completed, the quill was refilled and the same pattern drawn on the other side. The final touches were added by lightly brushing the red feather over the silver markings, and suddenly, they seemed to shimmer with a life of their own.

Spider-girl caught Alice staring again, but this time, instead of mixing or heating, she was ordered to strip.

"Wait, what?" Startled out of her reverie, Alice did not move.

"You heard me. Or do you not want your dress after all?"

"But what of underclothes?" She protested, trying to prolong the period before she had to undress. _This is too sudden. And I hardly know her!_

A white shift and shorts were thrown at her in answer, and she barely caught them in time. "Turn around and change, if you feel so uncomfortable. Geesh. And leave your old garments on the floor. I'll find a use for them." Soft clicking echoed through the room as spider-girl turned her back on Alice.

Glad to have some semblance of privacy, she faced away and began changing into the new undergarments. The cloth was comfortable and light, clung to her body like a second skin and was easy to move in. She turned back around and found spider-girl already holding up the finished green gown, waiting for her.

Stepping forward, the dress was pulled over her head smoothly. She had just pulled her arms through the sleeves when the breath was squeezed out of her. Brisk fluttering and zipping noises from behind her sparked a faint recognition in her mind. Where those strings of the corset being cinched together? "I thought... No corset… Needed?" She wheezed.

"Hmm? This is built-in, dear Alice. Only serves as support, not so much for _enhancing_." A hint of disapproval was evident in her voice, though the 'torture' did not let up. Finally, the crushing pressure eased off, and Alice could feel the difference before and after the corset was tightened. It was infinitely more comfortable, she had to admit. "There. All done. Come to the mirror, dear."

A reedy scratching was heard as a curtain she had not noticed before was pulled away. A full length mirror appeared, its edges cloudy with grime. As her eyes adjusted, the image in the mirror reflected a shapely figure in emerald, with the half-body of spider-girl next to her. Alice stared at the green-clad figure in wonder. Was that really her?

The dress had a small neckline, just large enough to fit her neck through. There was a large leaf shaped hole of skin exposed, spanning the length from one side of her chest to the other, just above her bust line. The sleeves were fitted closely from her shoulders all the way to her elbows, where they flared outwards in a cascading waterfall of fabric. The material after her elbows extended to mid-forearm, the lower half of the sleeves elongating into long ripples that almost touched the floor. The cloth fitted snugly against her torso, courtesy of the corset. A silver trellis that started from either side of her hips wound its way to the front of the dress, marking where the bodice ended and the skirt began. The skirt fell in billowing waves to skim her kneecaps in front, lengthening towards the back until it just barely brushed the floor. The fabric shimmered as she moved, an undulating effect that reminded her of water. The colour of the dress was a pale creamy green in the candlelight, but in the shadows, it appeared as rich emerald.

The dress was incredible, its craftsmanship elegant and sophisticated. When it was donned by her, her transformation into someone else was so complete, it was mind-boggling. Her pale skin was enhanced by the darker hues, her usually 'cute' features now morphing into something more mature and alluring. And the features that both disturbed and amazed her - her eyes and hair – they had become the forefront of attention. Anyone who looked at her for the first time would find themselves both transfixed by their strangeness and captivated by their extraordinary magnetism.

After seeing her reflection, she finally understood why the rabbit-boy and spider-girl were so puzzled. Her most unique features were completely unconventional. Her hair was cotton candy pink, the long strands trailing down her back and framing her oval face. Her eyes sparkled bright pink, reminiscent of princess parties and dark-hued sunsets. _Nope, definitely_ _not_ _blond_. And the most confusing part was that it seemed to be _natural_. She couldn't have been wearing contacts, and her hair was definitely _not_ dyed. _Perhaps it's a side effect of Wonderland, but didn't they say that all Alices were blond?_

Nevertheless, the gown was undoubtedly more beautiful than she expected or could ever ask for. Her strange countenance could not stand in the way of that."This... Is amazing. Thank you so very much!" Alice turned to meet spider-girl in the eye, a smile lighting up her features.

"No, Alice, thank _you_. For giving me an opportunity to create something new. For being the first Alice to ring the bell, and in doing so, bringing meaning back to creation." Her face hardened. "Before, I was assigned to dressing them, to prepare them for their quest ahead. By attempting to steal, and in doing so, bringing the curse down on themselves, the rest of the Alices were transformed into something from their own selfish imaginations. I was no longer needed to create masterpieces for them at Court, and was reassigned to be guardian of the gate instead."

She took a deep breath, as if collecting herself. "This land used to be a place where dreams came true, until one day, something corrupted it, and everything that came into it. Find out, Alice. And perhaps you will be the one to finally save us."

Alice didn't understand what spider-girl was talking about, but she thought she understood the gravity of the situation. Grasping her companion's hands firmly to get her attention, she said, "I promise I will do my best to help, even though I don't understand what is going on now. May I know your name? Such that I might have something other than your splendid creation to remember you by."

Spider-girl smiled tiredly, shaking her head. "Like all others in Wonderland, I have no name. I was known as the Seamstress, before I was reassigned. Break the curse on Wonderland, Alice, and maybe then I will have a name to give you."

This was the second time she had mentioned it. "Curse? What is this curse?"

The Seamstress bent forward, positioning her lips just next to Alice's ear. "The curse that steals us from our own world, and traps us here. The one that takes our memories, so that we can replace the Lost Ones in Wonderland." Pulling back, she smiled sneakily. "But you didn't hear that from me." _Of course I didn't. 'Better not to remember, Wonderland bites those who do.'_

"Now, come along! No time to dally, Alice. If the White Rabbit had left to answer Red's summons long ago, then you are most positively late. If you can find the Caterpillar, he can help you with that. But first, go down the hall and find the Cobbler. Tell him I sent you." Alice was lightly pushed through the archway, and she turned back to catch a last glimpse of her new friend before she had to go. But to her horror, the room was already fading away.

"Wait! What am I supposed to get from the Cobbler?" She called into the encroaching darkness.

Soft chuckling was heard. "Why, shoes, of course. Wouldn't want you tramping around Wonderland barefoot now, would we?" _'You'. She said 'you, not 'Alice'._

The last of the light faded from the room of dresses, and Alice was left alone in the encompassing darkness of the corridor, with only her frightening thoughts for company.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Yay I finally got this up! Many thanks to shadowyruin, who beta-ed this for me. To my friend who keeps bugging me to write this, THIS CHAPTER IS EXTRA LONG I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY YOU CHICKEN. *ahem* Pardon the outburst. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Since next week is technically the 5th week of January, I have no idea which story I will update, but we will see soon eh?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

With every muted footstep that Alice took down the winding hallway, overhead lights flickered on, only to fade back into darkness when she had passed by. The darkness was deep and encompassing, swallowing up the lights so that she could only see what was right in front of her. It was like walking on a runway, with a different coloured light for each step that you took. Thankfully, the walls retained their black and white checks - there were no disturbing images that suddenly appeared in the next beam of light, allowing her but a small respite from her unease.

Something off to her left flashed in and out of her peripheral vision as she walked past it. She hurriedly backtracked, and found herself face-to-face with an aged wooden sign that read: 'Cobbler - Down Below'. She peered at the sign again - surely it was wrong. There was nothing under the sign - hold on, was that a _mousehole_?

An involuntary shudder ran through her at the thought of mice, though she crouched down to investigate anyway. _No sense in being scared. If everyone I have met so far is half an animal or an inanimate object, then I should have nothing to be afraid of... Right?_

Putting one eye level with the small arch perpendicular to the ground, she realised that the hole actually had a small wooden door covering it. Two tiny oil lamps hung on either side of the door, and there was a small notice tacked onto it. Squinting at the fine print, the words slowly swam into view.

_Cobbler_

_Knock trice and a round for service_

Alice could not believe what she was seeing. _Seeing is believing_, whispered a voice in her mind. _Oh, go away. I don't need a reminder._ Rocking back on her haunches, she rubbed her aching eyes and pondered. What did trice and a round mean? Surely trice meant knocking three times, but what was a round? Knock in a circular formation? Knock around the edges of the doorframe? What on earth could it mean?

Sighing in resignation, she bent back down and used a fingertip to tap on the door. She decided to go with her first theory of tapping the door three times and then in a small circle on the middle of the door.

"Wrong knock! Go away!" A harsh voice resounded from behind the door. Alice jerked her hand back in surprise. So there was someone there! But the door was so small... How could anyone fit behind it?

"Uhm, please let me in?" She tried.

"No means no! You got it wrong, now get lost!" She was about to protest when another voice spoke.

"Hey, Cobbler, why not help the poor thing? She did say please."

"She got it wrong, so I'm not going to help her. I put that sign out there for a reason! Useless residents, thinking they can exploit my talents by just barging in and demanding things..."

Alice was still staring at the door, her jaw slack with surprise. She definitely heard a second voice. It sounded a lot kinder than the first voice. Perhaps she could appeal to them - whoever they were - to help her.

"Please, I'm no resident. I just got here." She fingered the material of her long sleeves nervously, and the silky material bumped a memory to the front of her mind. "Oh! The Seamstress said to tell you that she sent me."

Soft whispers arose from behind the door after her proclamation, one voice kind and pleading, the other hard and stubborn. _It's almost as if the Seamstress's name is a password or something. How odd. _They argued for a good long while, and Alice gave up trying to eavesdrop after the first few sentences. The only thing she could vaguely make out was "Alice", "Seamstress sent" and "evidence". At long last, the voices simmered down, and the kindly voice called out to her. "Alright, the Cobbler will see you now."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Alice beamed, forgetting that they could not see her. She was very glad that the kindly voice had won the battle of wills. Then, she looked down at her body, comparing herself to the tiny door. She suddenly seemed colossal by contrast. "Uhm. How do I get inside?"

"By walking, obviously." The nasty voice snapped. Alice pouted a little. The Cobbler was quite an unfriendly character, she deemed.

"Yes, but I'm too big. Human-sized, if you will."

"Oh, for god's sake." Grumbling was heard as the latch on the door was thrown back, and the door creaked mightily as it was yanked open. A small black head popped out, followed by a furry body clad in a red vest. Alice had to bite her tongue to keep herself from screaming aloud in terror. _It's a black mouse! Oh god, don't panic, don't panic..._

The mouse stepped all the way out of the mousehole, and glared at her through the spectacles perched on its nose. It did not seem to have noticed the fright it gave her. "So. The Seamstress sent you." Crossing its tiny paws in front of its chest, it analysed her seated figure. "Alright, fine. You look like an Alice. Save for the eyes and hair."

Alice groaned, her fear of mice temporarily pushed aside due the snarky temperament of the Cobbler. _Seems more human than mouse this way, at least. Though this is the first full animal I have seen. I wonder why? _"Stop talking about my eyes and hair already. First the white rabbit, and the Seamstress, and now you. Can you please just tell me how to get inside?"

"Oh, she's got an attitude! An improvement over the last snivelling one that made it here, I suppose." The black mouse sniffed. "Well fine, I'll tell you. Push aside that signboard up there and take the drink."

"The signboard?" Alice looked at the weathered old sign and slid it to one side uncertainly. To her immense surprise, it rolled creakily aside on unseen threads, revealing a small crevice with even smaller items in it. There were some peculiar looking odds and ends, but what caught her attention was a tarnished silver box. As she reached for it, her hand knocked into a small cylinder that fell over with a light _clink _that sounded like glass. She pulled both out and slid the sign back in place.

"Is this the drink?" She asked the mouse, showing it the bottle. "Yes, yes, very good. Now take a few sips. No more than that, mind you! Can't have you shrinking to the size of a flea now, can we?"

"It makes you shrink?" Alice looked at the dusty bottle with a newfound sense of appreciation. _Curious and curiouser_. "Yes, why else would I have you retrieve it? You believe you can come inside with that frightful size of yours?" The mouse harrumphed in indignation. _…Excellent point, there._

"What's this then?" She showed it the silver box in her other hand. The Cobbler looked at it disdainfully before turning away. "It does the opposite of the drink. Makes you larger. Same principle; don't eat more than a few nibbles or you'll be huger than you are now." _Is huger even a word?_ Alice wondered. _Never mind. Let's get this over with._

She placed the silver box in her lap, and was about to open the bottle when she dropped it. Her cry of surprise and alarm was cut short when the bottle disappeared into the folds of her gown, yet she could not feel its shape anywhere on her. Smoothing down the wrinkles where the bottle had disappeared, her thumb snagged on a fine crease that was otherwise unnoticeable to the naked eye. Pulling the crease away from her body, she discovered a small pocket where the bottle had fallen into. _Perhaps it's a magic pocket_, she thought excitedly. _I can't see it from the outside, and it feels as though there's nothing there even though that bottle is pretty heavy. Hold on. Why am I getting so happy over a magic pocket? I never used to believe in magic._

"Oi, Alice. Hurry up."

"Alright, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist." She ignored its outraged spluttering and tucked the silver box into her pocket before uncorking the bottle and taking a hesitant sip.

_Mmm_. Alice licked her lips. "Tastes like cherry." Another sip. "Vanilla." Sip. "Crayfish?" She stared at the bottle in fascination and horror. How could the flavours have switched from sweet to savoury so quickly?

A pale hand covered in hair placed itself over her hand holding onto the bottle, lowering it firmly from her lips. Her gaze traced the curious appendage back to its furry arm... And all the way up to its bewhiskered face bent over her. She blinked, eyelids flitting up and down in quick succession, her vocal cords stretched tight and ready to let out a discordant note. "Before you scream, Alice, I would like you to remember that you have shrunk down to our size." The creature advised.

Tongue now frozen in shock, she nodded mutely and pulled her arm away. She stood up and took a step back, recorking the bottle and placing it in her pocket, all while taking in the giant standing before her. It was standing on its hind legs, and was covered in bristly brown hair where the mouse was covered in midnight black fur. It donned a similar red vest to the mouse, and a long nude tail curled from behind it to the gap in front of them. The brown rat shifted uncomfortably, and she averted her gaze quickly, realising that she was staring. _Shouldn't have done that. And this is the person who got me inside too._

"Well, Alice. Let's get a move on, shall we? Don't think you should be standing around all day, 'specially since I heard the White Rabbit run by a while back." The Cobbler's voice cut into her chagrined thoughts, and she nodded too quickly, following it into the mousehole. _I believe he said White Rabbit with capital letters... Oh dear, was that his _name_? I've been saying it wrong all along._

She heard the door close behind her, and shortly, the soft footsteps of the rat brought up the rear. She felt a tinge of guilt for not thanking it, but her aversion to rodents prevented her from saying much. The twists and turns of the darkened passageway soon led out into a warmly lit workroom, with shoes of different sizes and colours strewn about haphazardly. Soft looking leather hung on specific sections of the wall, and a small table had needles, thread, hammers and nails set neatly upon it. A cushioned stool sat next to a wooden bench, its surface covered with a layer of dust.

The Cobbler picked up the dusty stool and brushed it off with one paw before bringing it over to the middle of the room. He (by now, Alice was convinced that both rodents were male) bade her to sit, only to be lightly cuffed over the head by the rat. "Have you no sense, friend? Think of what the Seamstress would do to you if she found out you soiled her dress with dust." Alice did not think that it was possible for mice - especially black mice - to blanch, yet this one did. Moving in a stiff manner, he grabbed a fairly clean rag from the table of tools and laid it over the cushioned seat. "Thank you."

"A polite Alice?" The rat looked at her in surprise. She huffed lightly and rolled her eyes. "That's what the Seamstress said too. Is there something _wrong_ with being polite?" The rat shook his head, chuckling. "Just surprised, is all. While we don't get many down this way, we hardly ever get a polite one either. Not many appreciate our trade." He shrugged nonchalantly.

A measuring tape came flying out of nowhere and struck the back of his head. The rat blinked once, then sighed and bent to pick up the tape. "If you want to jabber on, F.E., you can help take her measurements. Say, Alice. What sort of shoes do you want?" The Cobbler's voice was muffled, as if he was speaking from within a cupboard. _How curious. I never noticed that he left._

"I'm not sure. Something comfortable, I guess. Maybe fashionable as well, but that's not necessary. What do you think?" Alice had forgotten that she had said almost the exact same words to the Seamstress. The Cobbler's black head popped out from the hidden cupboard, and F.E. just stared at her in blank wonder.

"She's really polite, isn't she?" The rat murmured. "Got that right. Well, I'm not as generous as the Seamstress is, but I'll give you some suggestions." The mouse scampered over to Alice and appraised her seated figure by walking several rounds around her.

"There's hardly anything comfortable I can offer you that is fashionable," he told her bluntly as he continued his inspection. "What sort of look are you going for anyway?"

"Uhm..." Alice fidgeted in her seat. "Nothing in particular, actually. But I'm not very fond of heels, and flats won't do this dress justice. Boots might be nice, but those probably wouldn't fit the dress either."

"Why not combat boots then?" Both Alice and the Cobbler stared at the brown rat. "What? If broken in right, those are comfortable, their soles are thick enough to pass off as heels and they give one a really badass look." The Cobbler shook his head throughout F.E.'s evaluation, but Alice looked thoughtful.

"I'm willing to give combat boots a try, if that's all right with you," she told the Cobbler. "Perhaps they could cover my legs until just below my knees?" The mouse huffed and took his spectacles off, rubbing at them with a mixture of annoyance and exasperation.

"You are certain about this, Alice? And not only because this buffoon suggested it?" He shot F.E. a glare, which was returned by way of a noncommittal shrug. Alice nodded. "Boots do seem right. Somehow, it just clicked as the right footwear for Wonderland."

"Fine. You two are insufferable. Come, let me take a fit of your feet." Alice dutifully stretched out her feet to be prodded and poked at, and the brown rat smiled at her kindly. "Thank you," he mouthed to her. She couldn't help but grin back. Prejudices aside, he was quite the kindly fellow, and Alice was now willing to give him a chance at polite conversation, rodent or not.

The Cobbler completed his measurements, and with nothing more than a "Stay here, I'll be back shortly", he disappeared back into the cupboard. Alice stared after him with a mixture of apprehension and giddy glee. A scraping sound startled her, and she looked to her side to see the brown rat pulling the bench closer. She smiled and let her eyes roam over the room again. She was hyperaware of the furry bulk next to her, but dared not to say anything. _Relax, Alice. He's the nice one. _Despite her pep talk to her subconscious though, her body remain as tense as a tightly strung string. The awkward silence stretched on and on, until she could not tolerate the built-up tension any longer.

"Thank you for suggesting the boots," she blurted out suddenly. F.E. looked at her briefly, and gave her a relaxed smile. "It's no problem at all, Alice. Best I could do to help, since you won't know what Wonderland has in store for you."

"Oh." She didn't know what to say to that. Silence descended on them again, but a question came to mind and she voiced it shyly, despite her reservations. "Do you mind me asking, why does the Cobbler call you F.E.?"

The rat looked at her in amusement, as if not many people asked him that. "It's an old joke of ours. I don't particularly like it, but it sort of reminds us of what we had before." He stressed on the last word, and Alice caught from the intensity in his eyes that he was talking about their past lives. _The one we can't remember._

"Can... Can I hear about how you got that name?" She hoped he heard her silent plea as to how they could keep their memories of each other. _If they do remember about _before_, then maybe there's a way I can too-!_ A barely perceptible nod and the slightest twitch of his whiskers were the response she received before he began.

"F.E. is actually short for Fe Cardiac. It's a very nerdy joke, but the Cobbler always was such a nerd. Just look at his spectacles." F.E. winked, but Alice's sharp mind already began sorting through the possibilities. _He didn't really answer me, but I'll take what I can get. __A nerd joke, huh? Well, 'cardiac' certainly means heart..._

"Is there a different meaning to Fe? Or is it just that?" F.E. chuckled at her burning curiosity. "It stands for ferrum. Does that help?"

"Oh yes. Thank you." _Ferrum for iron. Ah. _In her shuttered memories, a vague face attached to that name surfaced. The person didn't seem very familiar, but it was her job to notice these things. And if her fading memories were correct, then this person she was speaking to would have been very special if her team of monsters had not come along. "Why the need to change it though? No one would know if you didn't alter it."

F.E. shifted uncomfortably. "Red has eyes and ears everywhere, and he knows _all_. Better not to risk his wrath that we remember, aye?" His warm gaze grew sad. "As it stands, we can barely remember anything. Our names have been lost in the void, and only the irritating nickname was left. At least we have each other. Seamstress remembers us, I believe, but she can never visit, and we could never speak anyway. I don't know what advice she left you, Alice, but for the record, you will do great things. And at least you'll be doing it blister-free." He winked again, and Alice was wondering about his abrupt change in tone when she saw the Cobbler emerging from the cupboard.

"Ah, Cobbler. How goes it?" F.E. cheerfully said. It was as if their sombre talk had never occurred at all. A dark glare from the mouse didn't deter his smile. "It was difficult to dig out the material, but I believe that this will do well for you," he spoke to Alice. "You will have no blisters or chaffing, for the softest leather was put into this, lined with sponge and sheep's wool. It will be comfortable, especially for your long trek ahead."

"Thank you very much." Alice accepted the chocolate brown boots from him. _Perhaps he too, has a method of making his shoes quickly. That took a surprisingly short time._ "What long trek ahead?"

The black mouse shook his head cheerlessly. "Not our place to mention, Alice, if we don't want Red to have our heads. Put them on." He gestured to the shoes, changing the topic swiftly. Still confused, but willing to comply - _I don't think I want to lose my head just yet, if that's what he means _- she sat back down on the stool and slid her feet into the boots, sighing with pleasure as she did so. The boots moulded to her feet, cupping them and supporting them, enveloping them with fluffy warmth. She laced up the boots, pulling the laces tight from the top of her feet all the way to the top of the shoe. Standing up, she tried a few experimental steps, pleasantly surprised with the way they moved together with her, almost like an extension of her limbs.

The two rodents watched her strut, skip, saunter, sashay and flounce about the room, testing the extent of her mobility in the boots. She returned to her spot in front of them before long, grinning like an excited child. "They are perfect. I cannot thank you enough for them." She swept into a low curtsey, and the pair bowed deeply to her in return.

"It was our pleasure," the Cobbler said gruffly. "Now off with ya. If you've come this far, then you'll make it easy into Wonderland." Alice startled out of her blissful reverie at those words. "Make it easy into Wonderland? Does that mean I'm not even in yet?"

The two rodents only looked at her with a brief flicker of mournfulness. She took that to be a yes. "How can I get in, then? I don't want to be stuck here, but I'll never go down without a fight." She declared. The two eyeballed each other, and by some unseen agreement, began to speak.

"Find the Caterpillar-" Started F.E., and promptly got punched by the Cobbler. "No, idiot. I'm pretty sure he's a Butterfly now. He arrived earlier than us; his metamorphosis is sure to be complete."_ I think the Seamstress mentioned a caterpillar and a butterfly, but what the Cobbler said makes sense. Butterfly it is, then._

"Arrived earlier-?" Alice's mouth was promptly covered by F.E.'s paw, his head shaking. "One day, you'll remember. We don't, but rumours are that we disappeared from our own world at different timings. Find out for us, Alice. If the Lost Ones can disappear, so can we. Bring us hope that we can escape."

Alice looked at both of them, their whiskers drooping with worry and resurfaced hopelessness. She nodded slowly, her eyes shining with a promise that she could not give voice to.

Suddenly, the loud meowing of a cat echoed through the room. The Cobbler and F.E. threw each other a sharp glance before grabbing Alice by the arms, hauling her out into the hallway. "Wait! What's going on?!" Alice struggled, trying to free herself, but the rodents had a surprisingly good grip. "No time, Alice. That could be the Shadow Cat, a friend of ours, or it could be the Cheshire Cat. If it's the Cheshire, you do NOT want to be here. It means that Red has heard us talking," the black mouse muttered under his breath.

They reached the door in a matter of seconds, and Alice fell to the ground as the two released her to grapple with the various locks holding the door closed. She had barely stood up again when she was shoved out of the open door and into the dark corridor. "Remember the box and what I said about it, Alice. Good luck."

"Don't ever let Chessie catch you this small. He loves snacks." F.E. Cardiac warned. Then the door slammed shut, the bolts and locks twisting back to their closed positions.

Alice backed up into the shadow of the door, hugging herself tightly in shock. The meow came again, louder and closer than ever. She shivered involuntarily, for fright of the unknown and for the last hopes pinned upon her. _Despite what they said, they're sure it's the Cheshire Cat. _One hand travelled lower, and grasped the silver box in her pocket, F.E.'s last warning resounding in her ears. _But I can't give up now. I'm so close to finding Wonderland's entrance._

_**And darling, that is where **_**I **_**come in.**_


End file.
